Message to Muslim Nations to Counter the Malicious Conspiracies of the US and Israel at the Madrid Conference

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Permission is granted to those who fight because they have been wronged, and indeed, God is capable of granting them victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes without right, only because they say, 'Our Lord is God.' If God did not repel some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is much mentioned, would surely have been destroyed. And God will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, God is Powerful and Exalted in Might.

In the history of nations, there are moments when the type of decision made affects a long period of that nation's life, bringing bitterness, suffering, humiliation, and enslavement, or freedom, dignity, and happiness for generations.

If on the day when the Zionists first struck at the deep roots of Palestinian nationality to replace it with a false, rootless nationality in the land belonging to Muslims, Muslim leaders and influential figures, followed by the masses, had shown serious and vigilant presence and resistance, today there would be no news of all these calamities and disasters, the poisonous fruit of the evil tree of the Zionist state in this region, and perhaps the nations of the region, especially the oppressed Palestinian nation, would have been spared what they have endured over these forty-five years.

That day, the weakness of some, the power-seeking of others, the comfort-seeking of some, and the lack of awareness of others combined to form a general betrayal, resulting in what happened: thousands of unjustly shed blood, thousands of violated honors, thousands of destroyed homes, thousands of lost investments, thousands of buried hopes, thousands of bitter and disastrous days and nights spent in hunger, homelessness, and tears in the camps of Jordan and Lebanon, or in the occupied homeland under the boots and bayonets of the enemy, thousands of people subjected to the harshest punishments of the time without any crime, and thousands of other unspeakable sorrows that only those who spend their days dying gradually in the camps next to their usurped homes or in homes under foreign guardianship can understand. ... All of this arose from that great betrayal, and that betrayal brought about other betrayals; and these waves of betrayal dried up virtues, killed spirits, and extinguished flames. ...

Anyone who could have done something that day and taken a step to repel this great injustice, and did not, is condemned by the curse and wrath of these two Palestinian generations, subject to the decisive and harsh judgment of contemporary and future history, and will face divine punishment and retribution on the Day of Judgment; and in this, there is no difference between political figures, economic figures, cultural and literary figures, and figures of war and battle. ...

Today, once again, one of those decisive moments is before us, and one of those general tests is ready. The issue is that America, in the midst of what is called the victories after the end of the 'Cold War,' and thanks to the terrifying silence that has dominated some countries in this region, and relying on its usurping military presence in the Persian Gulf, seeks to solve its problem and the problem of the usurping Zionists; Israel is to be recognized by the Arabs, and the claim of 'Palestine' is to end forever.

The liberation of Israel from the concern of Arab state opposition prepares America's protégé, firstly, for its main duty, which is to combat Islamic movements in this region - the greatest serious threat to America - secondly, it solidifies America's influence over the countries of this vital region, turning the region into a safe haven for Americans, and the Great Satan becomes the undisputed master of the Middle East; and thirdly, Israel conquers another important stronghold in its path to expand the occupied territories and the dream of 'from the Nile to the Euphrates.'

The enemy seeks to separate Palestine from the body of the Islamic world once and for all and to make the cursed tree of Zionism permanent in the home of Muslims. America seeks to stabilize the occupying regime, take control of all the threads of life in this sensitive region, and free itself from the concern of Islamic uprisings in the Middle East and Africa. The enemies of Islam want to compensate for all their old grudges against Islam and the defeats they have suffered in recent years due to the awakening of Muslims. This event is incomparable to any of the recent years' conspiracies regarding the Middle East; here, it is a matter of usurping a country and the continuous and eternal displacement of a nation and the final separation of a part of the Islamic world and the geographical center of the great Islamic homeland and the first qibla of Muslims.

In this critical moment, Muslims of the world must feel their duty; they must understand the duty that being a Muslim places on their shoulders. On one hand, there is the duty to protect Islamic lands, which is among the necessities of Muslim jurisprudence; and on the other hand, there is the response to the plea of an oppressed nation ... as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever hears the plea of a Muslim and does not respond is not a Muslim. ... And today, it is not an individual, but a nation that has raised its voice in plea.

Today, Muslim governments must feel their duty. The power of Muslim governments, if united and in unison, is greater than America's power. America needs this region more than this region needs America. Governments must know that the desire of Muslim nations is for all of them to collectively say 'no' to the arrogant demands of America and Israel. This is the most certain action to preserve the governments themselves and to preserve the honor and dignity of Islamic countries. They must not fear the threats and temptations of America and the propaganda pressure of the Zionist press and must respond to the call of their Islamic and national duty.

Muslim nations must know that they are as responsible before God and history as the governments. You can compel governments to resist arrogant pressures and help them in this path; and you can create a great danger for governments that turn their backs on this definite duty.

You, the scholars of Islam, writers, intellectuals, and students of Islamic countries, have more immediate duties. You can inform nations of the magnitude of the disaster that America and Israel are preparing for the Islamic world and mobilize the great national force to confront it. Governments that prepare themselves to accompany this betrayal must realize the danger of their nations' wrath.

The axis of this sensitive and critical struggle is the oppressed and courageous Palestinian nation, which has fully understood the calamities and now, thanks to adherence to Islam, with its valiant struggle within the usurped homeland, has created a great danger for the enemy. The great global arrogance conspiracy aims to extinguish this struggle; but by the grace and power of God and the efforts of the brave Palestinians and the help of Muslim nations and governments, this flame must grow brighter day by day, until it consumes the entire fragile structure of the enemy; and this will happen, and divine victory will descend upon them; 'And God will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, God is Powerful and Exalted in Might.'

The enemy should know that no threat or trick, such as involving Palestinians who have turned their backs on the Palestinian cause in the American conference, will be able to turn away the faithful souls who consider jihad for the liberation of Palestine their Islamic duty from this rightful struggle, and despite the wishes of America and its assistants and affiliates, the jihad of the Palestinian nation will continue, and this sacred flame will not be extinguished by the betrayal of dependent Palestinian and Arab politicians.

The most important remedy for America's conspiracy is within the occupied territories and in the strong hands of Palestinian fighters; however, all Muslims are obliged to participate in this jihad and to channel financial, political, informational, military, and logistical support towards them. The Palestinian nation must not feel alone. Zionists and those responsible for the torture and killing of Palestinian fighters should not feel safe anywhere in the world. Support funds and aid centers for Palestinian fighters should be established everywhere in the world by governments and nations. The economic boycott of the usurping state and the non-recognition of it is the duty of all Muslim governments, and nations must show sensitivity to this issue ... and with these means and all possible means, the ongoing conspiracy must be countered, and its impact prevented. In any case, the issue of Palestine has only one solution, and that is the establishment of a Palestinian state in the entire land of Palestine.

I ask for divine guidance and assistance for all Muslim governments and nations and wish for their continued hope and victory.

Peace be upon the righteous servants of God

Ali Hosseini Khamenei

October 17, 1991

Coinciding with the 8th of Rabi' al-Thani 1412